Deviation
by Explosion-Of-Colour
Summary: Mac/Stella. "It's my turn to buy dinner." Stella supplied, as though that was all he needed to know.
1. Chapter 1

Seven PM on a Friday in New York City was most people's favorite time of the week. But while most would have left their respective offices in the direction of wherever home may be by seven PM, certain members of New York's Police Department weren't quite so keen to leave. Detective Mac Taylor sat stoically at his desk, where he'd barely moved from since his return to the lab two hours ago. He sighed and loosened his tie, undoing the top button of his dark shirt as he continued to read over the report Hawkes had left on his desk sometime during his absence. Though he had no urgent desire to go home, there was still a small feeling of regret that haunted him at the thought that he had little to go home _to_. Days like today threw him off balance, days away from his team, his lab, people who had become his family. Six hours spent giving evidence in court, defending himself and his lab's ability to gather and analyze evidence. Not his favorite way to spend a day.

He felt eyes on him, not unusual considering the design of the lab, but made him look up from reading non-the-less. The unease he'd felt eased considerably as his gaze fell upon his partner, beautiful as always even in the harsh unnatural light. She was speaking with two of the techs who had only recently started, recruited straight out of university, but her gaze kept traveling to him almost conspiratorially, as if they had a secret they were enjoying keeping between them. Her sparkle never ceased to entice him; she had a passion for life that he both admired and envied in equal parts, drawing him to her like an addict wanting his fix. He watched her, enjoying the smile that widened at his continued eye contact and causing him to wonder what her game was tonight.

Mac followed her movements as she broke off from the two young men, noting with bemusement that the pair seemed a little smitten as she walked away, towards him, still wearing that secretive smile. She pushed open the glass door, pretty curls bouncing as she moved. "You busy, Mac?"

"Nothing that can't wait." He fixed her with an expectant expression, waiting for the inevitable reason she was practically bouncing from secretive energy.

"Court today... ?"

"Mitchell looks set to be convicted. My part is done and closing statements are set for Monday morning." He smiled as he decided to call her on her odd behavior. "Was there something you wanted, Stella?"

She grinned, mischievous sparkles reaching her green eyes as she set her hands on his desk, leaning forward. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Why?" Mac shot back, amused and forcing his eyes to remain on her olive skin and green eyes rather than drifting down to the inadvertently clear view down her shirt, her gold necklace swinging back and forth, taunting him.

"It's my turn to buy dinner." Stella supplied, as though that was all he needed to know.

He looked at her, disbelief written all over his face as he waited for her to continue. She didn't. "Why do I suspect you have an ulterior motive here, Stell?"

She laughed, standing up straight and moving towards the stand in the corner which held his suit jacket. "Because, Mac, you've been in this city's law enforcement for too long." One of Mac's patented grey-blue stares only made her laugh again, apparently choosing to alleviate some of his suspicion when she continued; "It's nothing sinister, I promise."

"Then why does a sense of foreboding suddenly come over me when you say that?" He asked, but his smile remained in place. He was fairly sure had this woman not been a constant in his life over the past decade, he'd be completely unable to laugh. Somehow she always managed to make him enjoy himself; when he was determined to work himself into the ground, she would force him to eat, sleep or simply sit with him while he worked. He couldn't ever be sure she understood how much she meant to him, how much he valued her company and her concern for his well-being. He wasn't able to express himself the way he'd like to, having always been somewhat shy of emotions, of showing the affection he felt for others; for her. Stella, however, was the exact opposite, balancing their partnership, their friendship, with her affinity for physical affection. She kissed him rarely, but her regular touches were like white lightening through his system, comforting and arousing in equal measure, something else he could never share with her, though there were times he had wanted to. "I assume you've chosen where we're going?"

Plucking his jacket from the stand, she moved towards his side of the desk, pulling the forgotten report from his hands and placing it on the large desk. "No, you can pick the place." She reached to her left, grasping the set of keys that had been thrown haphazardly next to his clock a few hours ago and transfered them to his now empty hand. "I'll even let you drive."

Clearly relinquishing the driver's seat was supposed to be the deal-breaker, confirmed by the dazzling smile she was still sending in his direction. "Now I'm intrigued." He slipped into his jacket as she handed it to him, watching as she made her way to the glass door of his office as a clear indication that they were leaving right now.

He chuckled at her determination, making his way over to her and placing his hand on her lower back as he guided her out of his office in the direction of the elevators.

***

As Stella listened to him tell her about a newly discovered restaurant Don Flack had mentioned to him during a case several days ago, she found herself wondering if another man in his place would ever make her feel the way she did about Mac Taylor. It was something she chose to hide very well, something not shared with anyone, under any circumstances. She often felt they weren't able to spend as much time together as she'd like, despite working side by side most days of the week and for far too many hours. It was the rare occurrences of these purely social, relaxed evenings that she treasured far more than the occasions of trying to create a bond with a man she'd only recently met; men that had never once come close to measuring up to her best friend.

She studied his profile as he drove, pleased to see Mac in a surprisingly upbeat state of mind; the usually tightly wound muscles of his shoulders seemed almost relaxed. Mac in a state of relaxation was a sight to be marveled at; simply because it happened so rarely. And while Stella relished every moment her friend spent with a little less weighing his emotions down, it was also a time she had to be especially careful of the attraction she felt towards him, correct herself before she misinterpreted small touches and smiles as something more than his good mood. It became all too clear to her on these rare occasions just how much she loved him; or at least how much she loved spending time with him in a personal sense. While she was aware that on some levels her subconscious had decided she'd fallen head over heels for him years ago, her realistic conscious mind chose to ignore the small, insignificant fact that she was attracted to her best friend. The possibility she might actually be _in_ love with him was buried under several layers of denial that even the most talented of investigators wouldn't be able to extract in the form of a confession from her.

He turned to glance at her quickly, breaking her out of her thoughts as she returned his gaze along with a reassuring smile. She was obviously causing him concern at her quiet thoughts. Stella wasn't usually one for silence unless she needed to think and of course Mac knew that.

"You alright, Stell?"

She smiled at him, enjoying the way the light rain on the windshield and headlights outside cast dancing shadows across his face. "I just like seeing you relaxed. Doesn't happen often enough, you know."

Mac's answering smile said it all, a trace of amusement flashing in the grey-blue of his eyes as he made a right turn, early evening traffic thickening as they edged closer to their destination. "I could say the same to you."

"But you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't?"

Stella shook her head, an impish grin brightening her face. "I'm buying dinner, so I can withhold dessert should I so choose."

He turned to glance at her again, as if checking she was kidding before he laughed. "Best behavior, Stell, I promise."


	2. Rules of Attraction

**Thank you for the reviews - glad you're enjoying it so far! It's always good to hear what readers think - be it good or bad!**

**Chapter 2: Rules of Attraction**

Their chosen eatery turned out to be a quaint little place, tucked away from the New York bustle along a small walkway. They'd left the SUV nearly ten minutes away, allowing a short walk to their destination in the early evening twilight; the Manhattan streets having quietened only slightly between the work crowd leaving the city for home, and the night's party-goers venturing out in force to celebrate the weekend. The restaurant was lit with tiny white fairy lights surrounding the large glass windows either side of the door, projecting a romantic aura outwards with a fenced-off outdoor area lit with lanterns. On a nicer night it would have been a lovely place to sit and unwind after a long day, and Stella loved it already before even stepping inside.

She managed to sneak a look at her friend as she caught sight of the place, wondering if he'd known that this place would be so... _couple-y_. His expression gave nothing away as he met her questioning gaze, moving his hand to the small of her back as he guided her ahead of him through the door. Tables were spread throughout the space in an uncrowded, relaxed manner, allowing space and privacy to their occupants as they ate. A young woman showed them in, delivering the pair to a booth in one corner then disappearing with their drinks order. Choosing the house speciality - herbal tea - over anything alcoholic, Stella took the oppurtunity to tease Mac over his unadventurous choice of black coffee, offering a sip of hers in the form of a dare.

Chuckling at her, Mac held her emerald gaze as he brought her tea cup to his mouth, the pretense that he'd never tried herbal tea before happened to be amusing Stella greatly.

A playful Mac Taylor was a sight to behold.

Stella prayed that stray thought hadn't brought a tell-tale blush to her cheeks as she scolded herself for having a dirty mind. He was her friend, and thoughts like the ones she couldn't shake right now were _so_ not allowed. Their meals were placed in front of them before she realised Mac had ordered two more of the teas; her cup looking suspiciously shallow.

"You liked the tea then?" She laughed, promptly stealing the tall mug of untocuhed coffee that sat next to him in retaliation.

"It's very good. I assume the coffee is also -" Mac gestured with his left hand to the drink now clasped in her right, an amused eyebrow raised at her theivery.

Rewarding him with a full toothed grin, she returned the mug to the side of his bowl of noodles with a respectable half left and tucked in to her kung pow chicken. "So..." Stella began, waiting until he fixed his sea-grey eyes on hers before she continued. "You remember that bet you made with Danny a few years ago? Whether Lindsey would eat that deep-fried taranchella?"

His sharp mind only took a moment to remember the incident, a fond smile lighting his face as he nodded. "I remember being twenty dollars richer that day. Wasn't that night the one you dragged me to that movie -" He stopped, brows knitting together as he tried to fathom the title.

"One of the Batman movies, I think." She supplied for him, stealing another sip of his coffee in liu of the second round of teas that had yet to arrive. She laughed whole-heartedly as she recounted the mission of convincing him to accompany her to the theatre and then to see the latest popular super-hero movie alongside the hordes of teenagers and couples on a Saturday night. At the time he'd even admitted to enjoying the film, although the few times they'd returned to the theatre for movies since, he'd always managed to bargin his way out of her choices with bribes of dinner or drinks afterwards. Stella had no qualms about admitting to herself the added extras were well worth the sacrifice of a film choice. "Sometimes I wonder how you survive conversations with Flack, what with all the pop culture you expose yourself to, Mac."

"I sense sarcasm in your tone, Stella." He deadpanned, an air of flirtation about him that she convinced herself she'd imagined as his low voice invoked the familiar more-than-friendly stirrings in her. He turned to smile at the young waitress as she set their drinks down in the centre of the small table, before his ocean-grey eyes settled back on her face again.

She shot him an amused smile in response, finishing the last of her chicken before cradling the chinese tea cup in her hands. " Well, Danny seems to think that he knows you better than I do," Stella explained, telling herself to stop enjoying having his full attention as he continued to stare at her, his curiousity clear in his expression. "So we have a bet going that involves your... participation."

Obviously torn between hiding his interest and asking where she was going with this, Mac answered with only the slightest hint of trepidation; "Should I be concerned with your's and Danny's use of the lab's time?"

Stella hid her mischivous grin behind her tea cup, almost glad she was about to spring this information on him unexpectedly as a form of getting her own back. "Danny is convinced that you couldn't be persuaded to leave behind your blues and greys for a day and wear a slightly... more vibrant colour to work."

"A more vibrant colour..." Mac replied, as if sounding the words out would make them more clearer in their meaning.

Stella watched his reaction, relief at the forefront of her amusement as she determined that he hadn't taken the light-hearted bet as an attack on his dress sense and more surprisingly, hadn't immediatly shot down the spot of fun they'd essentially decided on at his expense. "Pink."

"Danny would be correct in his assessment there, Stell."

The playfulness of the conversation caused her brain to lapse in judgement enough that she was dangerously close to pouting at that. "I bet him that I could persuade you to wear a pink shirt to work for one day, Mac. One day. I don't want to lose."

Mac chuckled at her, his deep laugh resonating in the quietness of the restaurant and causing her smile to widen. "You never have, Stell. The problem is I don't own a pink shirt."

"I was going to buy you one as a gift - that store you like so much is open 'til nine tonight."

He laughed again, his hand brushing hers accidently as he passed her the dessert menu without asking the question of whether she wanted dessert or not. "You've actually planned this all out, haven't you?"

Stella grinned, allowing her fondness for her best friend show as she placed her right hand on his forearm, staying silent in the hopes he'd been swayed.

"What were the terms of this bet?"

"Fifty each, then Flack bet another fifty."

"Flack was involved as well?"

She shook her head, dark curls tumbling each which-way. "He walked in on the conversion."

"And which way did he bet?"

Her smile was gentle, her eyes sparking with mirth as she responded. "Don seemed to think I could persuade you to side with me."

She'd really not meant to sound so flirtacious, but the words left her lips before her brain fully processed their full connotations. Mac didn't respond, only a small smile adorning his features as his serious gaze studied her without subtlty. Times like these Stella had to rein in the feelings that surfaced whenever his intelligent eyes settled on her with such intensity; times when she wondered if he ever thought about the possibility of them being more than friends - whether it was something that had ever crossed his mind. Given that she'd spent the first two years she'd known him over-thinking her every conversation with him for fear of letting slip that she was incredibly attracted to him, before he became a collegue as well as her best friend and she forced professional ethics between her consious feelings and how she felt about him. Those first two years she'd fallen so hard and so fast for him that she was convinced she'd have to sever their friendship before her happily _married_ friend found out the truth. It seemed unfair that she'd harboured these feelings for the duration of their friendship on a level that wavered between the consious and the subconsious, and Mac Taylor may not have even pondered the idea of a relationship with them.

Her bright mood suddenly took a nose-dive, melancoly creeping over her without permission.

"Were shades of pink discussed?"

Stella snapped out of her thoughts, looking blankly at him before processing what he'd asked in mock-seriousness. Longing for the man sitting across from her was stamped down as she laughed genuinely at his quiet humour. "A pink of your choice, Mac."

His chuckle warmed her lonely heart a little and she suddenly realised his right hand now sat next to hers in the centre of the table, his thumb brushing softly across the back of her hand so gently she wondered if he was aware he was doing it. "And if I agree to encourage this misuse of the lab's time, what do I get out of it?"

For her part, Stella tried desperatly to keep that comment in context, away from any thoughts of possible innuendo intended. "Did you have something in mind?"

He shot her what could only be described as a mischevious smile in response. "I may have an idea."


	3. Misinterpretation

**Thank you all *so* much for the reviews - I couldn't believe the response the last chapter got! Hope you all enjoy this as much!**

**Chapter 3 -Misinterpretation**

The rain had picked up in the time they'd spent eating, cold droplets infiltrating the warmth of their shared company as they walked back towards the parked SUV several blocks away. The companionable silence had been preceded by the usual argument over who would pay, and as usual was won by Mac threatening to hand over all the rookie jobs to her for the foreseeable future should he not get his way. It was a simple cycle that played out whenever they ventured out together, Mac defaulting to his gentlemanly upbringing as his excuse once the check arrived. It didn't matter how much Stella disagreed or how many feminist, independent woman arguments she tried to persuade him with, he had yet to let her pay for a meal when it was just the two of them sharing it.

Once, and never again since, she'd managed to sneak the bill under the not so creative guise of a visit to the ladies room; Mac's non-too-pleased reaction to her stunt had turned who paid the bill into a game of sorts. Mac was a chivalrous man to the bone, and while she knew he respected her independent Manhattan girl persona, he still hadn't budged on restaurant bills in all the years she'd known him. She had no illusions that he ever would. And so every time she lost this particular argument with him, she repaid the favor by bringing him breakfast the following morning. In recent years their pattern had resulted in a number of Sunday mornings spent together walking through his neighborhood or venturing out for a coffee at a local cafe, and on weekdays it just gave her a good excuse to make sure he ate something before ploughing into their respective workloads.

Stella instinctively moved closer to his side as the rain began to soak through to her skin, just as she felt his large hand move to the small of her back, just south of the hem of her light leather jacket. She turned her head towards him, rewarding his touch with a delicate smile. "So much for the nice weather, huh?"

"Never trust a weatherman, Stella." Mac replied, the timbre of his voice betraying the humor behind his warning.

She laughed openly at his joke, immensely enjoying this relaxed side of her partner. Her smile widened to a grin as they neared the SUV and he opened the passenger-side door for her with a gallant gesture of his arm. Rewarding him with an exaggerated curtsy and a kiss on the cheek before she climbed into the vehicle, she watched in amusement as he caught her eyes, the surprise at her small kiss evident on his face. For a minute he looked as though he was going to say something, then thought better of it and covered whatever he was feeling with a bashful smile.

"What did I do to deserve that?" Mac asked lightly, seemingly having forgotten he was stood in the middle of a car park holding her door open.

"For dinner. And agreeing to win this bet for me."

"You didn't think I'd agree to it?"

"I must admit I'd been thinking of ways I could trick you in to wearing a pink shirt without you knowing anything about this, but I figured getting one over on Danny might appeal to you. Although I had thought of some pretty cunning ideas." Stella grinned mischievously, placing her palm affectionately against the same cheek she'd just pressed a kiss to and let her thumb graze the slightly rough skin where his five-o-clock shadow was beginning to show.

Mac raised his right hand, clasping her wrist and pulling her hand away gently, holding it for a second before shooting her a smirk. "I bet you did."

He closed the door and was rounding the SUV to the driver's side before Stella could respond. There it was again, that almost-flirting tone of his. As much as she would have liked to think he was actually flirting, she strictly told herself to enjoy this rare playful side she was privy to tonight and not to over-analyze his words or actions. Once settled in the driver's seat, Mac looked at her again with the same look about him that prompted her to think he was about to say something, then - again - rethought it, concentration shifting to inserting the key into the ignition instead.

Neither spoke again until they reached the parking lot of the mall, instead listening to the jazz radio station playing softly and sneaking glances at each other when they could get away with it. Stella crossed her arms over her chest as she moved out of the car's warmth and into the evening chill outside, rubbing her upper arms as she tried to suppress a shiver. Heading in the direction of the large glass doors encasing the entrance to the mall, she smiled at Mac for waiting for her to round the SUV and prompting replaced his hand on the small of her back. The warmth of his hand radiated through the slightly damp fabric of her shirt, and she was sure he pulled her a little closer to him, their sides brushing as they walked.

"Do you want to try anything on or shall I just buy your usual size?" Stella asked quietly, trying to quell her sensitivity to how close he was to her, which seemed to be increasing the longer his palm remained pressed against her.

"I'll meet you upstairs in ten minutes, Stell. I trust you can pick out a shirt that will limit my embarrassment tomorrow?" He answered, amusement coloring his voice as his hand finally dropped back to his side, leaving her feeling strangely cold.

She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. "Why upstairs?"

Mac didn't answer, simply making a beeline for the stairs before disappearing from sight.

Man on a mission, Stella thought in wryly. Left on her own in the maze of shelves and rails of menswear, she wandered around a little until she spotted several smartly-clad mannequins dressed in full business suits. She smiled to herself as the hot-pink colored matching shirt and tie adorning on of them came into view. Choosing to move towards the aisle that that particular model stood guard in front of, she ventured into the mass of styles and shades in the hopes of finding similar, although much less obvious pink shirts. While debating whether or not to try her luck with her best friend's generous mood and bring him a few of the modeled brightly colored choices, her gaze fell on a dusky just-pink that she automatically dressed him up in in her head. Scolding herself half-heartedly, she shifted the bundle of three shirts already in her arms and sought out Mac's size in the dusky-pink, congratulating herself on finding a shade he might actually agree to. Impulsively picking up a couple of matching silk ties, Stella threw a smile at the dark-haired young salesman who was trying to hide his boredom as she passed the menswear sales-desk and made her way to the same stairs her partner had vanished up of several minutes earlier.

It wasn't the first time she'd bought him gifts from this store, enjoying the process of picking out something for Christmas or his birthday that she thought he would like. Mac, however, was the only man she ever bought clothes for; while Danny and Don and Sheldon were close friends, buying items of clothing as gifts for them had never crossed her mind. The realization made her resolve not to mention to Mac that she enjoyed dressing him, keeping to herself the intimate thrill she felt on the days he showed up wearing a tie or a T-shirt she'd chosen as a gift for him. One morning more than a year ago, Stella had asked him to meet her for a coffee on a rare shared day off, and she'd nearly had to rethink ever buying him clothing again when he turned up in the close-knit midnight blue sweater she'd given him for his birthday the previous week, entirely distracted by the emphasized broadness of his shoulders and chest in the snugly fitting garment. As fate would have it, hiding her attraction to him that day hadn't been the end of it as he'd somehow managed to find and purchase a shirt in an almost identical colour and promptly worn it to work the following day. She was still positive he'd done it on purpose somehow, paranoia be damned.

Scanning her surroundings she found that the first floor consisted solely of home-ware and children's toys, neither of which department Stella could imagine finding Mac in, so after a final check of the enormous space, she pulled out her phone.

Answering on the second ring, she grinned at the slight inflection of weariness in his voice as he greeted her. "Stell? I'm sorry I think I got the wrong floor, I'm on the... third."

Stella laughed, awarding him a small sympathetic noise. The great Detective Mac Taylor, thwarted by a complex layout of a department store. Telling him to stay where he was, she ended the call with a smile still on her face, juggling the items hung over her arms as she dropped her phone in her jacket pocket.

Two floors up, halfway across the mass of women's clothing, she spotted Mac standing beside a tall blond woman, apparently engaged in conversation. As Stella neared the pair, she could see Mac was holding a large bag with the sleek logo of the store emblazoned across it in blue and gold, prompting her to wonder what he was up to. The blond met her eyes as Stella stepped up next to them, smiling politely and causing Mac to turn towards her.

"You found me." He stated with a grateful smile, casting inquisitive blue eyes over the bundle of clothes she held in her arms and shifting the bag he held to his other hand, slipping it out of view.

"Well I better get going - nice meeting you, Mac." The blond spoke up, her genuine smile reaching pretty brown eyes as she touched his elbow lightly.

"And you, Ms Klenen."

Watching the exchange with uncontrollable interest; Stella waited until her friend turned back to her before fixing him with a questioning expression, hoping it would be enough to provoke an explanation without having to reveal the depth of her inquisitiveness.

"She helped me pick something out for you."

Stella couldn't stop her surprise showing as she processed his words. "You asked someone -"

"No, she said I looked a little lost - and I didn't want to get the size wrong -"

Stella grinned, recalling the way the blond woman had been smiling at her partner and she reached out to lay her palm against his arm affectionately. "She was hitting on you, Mac."

Realization flickered over his features for a moment before his blue-grey eyes wrenched themselves away from her face and to the floor in embarrassment as he coughed, a sure sign he was uncomfortable. "Are those my choices?"

She nodded, allowing him to change the subject in bemusement, then proceeded to show him each of the shirts in turn. His pained expression at the the sight of his involvement in the bet he'd already agreed to caused her to stifle a giggle. Ultimately choosing the dusky pink favourite of Stella's, he raised an eyebrow at her insistence that she was buying a matching tie as a thank you, a barely concealed amusement apparent in his expression. Still curious as to what he'd been buying and apparently acquired assistance from a passing shopper, she let Mac lead her towards the sales-desk, watching with amusement as he continued to hide the carrier from her scrutiny as much as possible, impeding her ability to gather any clues.

The young redhead behind the till engaged them in bubbly conversation, flicking her long curls over her shoulder as she bent to retrieve a gift bag for their purchase. Stella took the opportunity to shoot a glance at her partner, who was scoping out the entire shop floor like she'd seen him to do a thousand times at a crime scene. The salesgirl drew her attention again as she handed back her credit card, making a joke about dragging husbands out shopping against their will as she grinned. Stella could feel the heat rise to her cheeks as she forced herself to smile politely, torn between whether she should correct the assumption or take the chance Mac hadn't been listening. Turning from the desk with a friendly goodbye to the chatty salesgirl, Stella found Mac staring straight back at her with an unreadable expression, though the intensity of his stormy eyes suggested he had indeed heard himself referred to as her husband.


	4. Content

**I'm so behind with responding to reviews which I feel terrible about - along with taking so long to get this written and posted! A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed - it really helps the writing process :o) By the way if anyone is in need of another good show to watch, check out the Mentalist (very addictive I should warn you!)**

**Chapter 4 - Content**

Their slow walk back to their vehicle had been an awkward one, at least to Stella's perception. There had been no mention of the sales-girl's mistaken assumption or Stella acceptance of it, and the more the silence continued, the further she managed to rationalize that it had been out of simple politeness that she hadn't corrected her. The warm feelings within her hadn't been provoked by the assumption and neither has the ominous silence that followed. They _hadn't._ She was overreacting, she was sure of it, and thinking that Mac had so much as given it a second thought was purely her own overactive imagination. Gauging his mood now was nearly impossible, though he hadn't lost the pensive, almost calculating expression as he alternated between avoiding her casual gazes and watching her. His hand hadn't found its way to the small of her back like before, and she was surprised to find she missed it already.

She glanced over to her left and just about managed to hide her surprise when she found him gazing straight back at her, grey eyes suddenly clearing as he stopped walking, grasping her forearm gently. "Stell - I just - does that happen often?"

She felt the heat rush to her face and hoped beyond hope that her skin didn't betray her. "I -" A nervous laugh formulates before she can stop it, rationality grounding her once again. This was Mac, he was just curious and she didn't need to lie. "Actually more than you'd think."

Mac's face broke into a smile, relief evident in his expression. "I thought it was just me, I've had more than a few comments about 'my lovely wife' before I introduce you as my partner. I was beginning to think it was something I was doing wrong making people think that."

Atmosphere finally free of tension, Stella grinned widely at her friend, green eyes sparkling with laughter as she envisioned Mac's face as such a thing happened. He held her gaze as they gained their equilibrium again, the tense air dissipating as they stood watching each other over several long moments of quiet.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, Mac." She told him sincerely. Looking back over her shoulder at the evening shoppers bustling from store to store, she caught sight of a coffee shop she'd failed to notice on their way past before. Though the tension had eased, she really didn't want to end the evening feeling like she'd hurt him somehow. "I could really use a coffee - my turn to buy?"

To her relief he smiled back at her, expression open and friendly once more. "I have some of that Columbian blend you like so much at home - I'm sure I owe you more than a few coffees."

"I'm not sure I can say no to an offer as good as that," Stella teased, belatedly realising his hand still held her elbow loosely as though ensuring they stayed connected, grounded.

"Then don't say no," Mac replied simply, smile gone and an air of seriousness suddenly enveloped the moment. She wondered if coffee had become a euphemism all of a sudden for all the things unsaid between them.

"Guess I have no choice." Turning again to towards the exit, she tried her best to ignore the swell of irrational joy within her when she felt Mac's hand replace itself on her back.

***

Stella hadn't visited Mac's apartment more than a handful of times in the last six months; in fact not since the fire that had claimed her own apartment. The memory of stopping at his apartment for lunch while he dutifully helped her search for a new place to live was very clear in her mind, the repeated offer of staying with him instead of the hotel she'd chosen had become almost an order as his worry for her had become more evident than ever that day. As luck would have it they'd managed to find a place later on that afternoon and so the discussion hadn't been reopened, but it had taken close to a fortnight for his less-subtle-than-he-believed-it-to-be hovering during work hours to subside.

Mac led the way into the open-plan living area, placing the mysterious bag down behind the sofa before turning to his friend, obviously catching her eying whatever her penance was to be for talking him into this pink shirt bet. "I'll know if you've peeked in that bag, Stell," he warned her with mirth reaching his grey eyes. "You make yourself comfortable while I make the coffee."

She grinned mischievously at him and then scanned the room; it was comforting to see that nothing big had changed, same smokey-grey couch and matching armchairs along with the large mahogany coffee table set on the centre of the rustic rug. All so simple, yet so _Mac_. But then up on the wall...

"Mac," she exclaimed in unrestrained surprise, " do I see a new flat-screen television on your wall?"

His laugh was heart-warming as he shot her a sheepish grin, still busy setting two mugs on the counter-top and searching for the coffee grounds. "I'm afraid so. I couldn't stand the comments from Danny and Flack anymore."

Stella didn't reply, instead shooting him a questioning look as she wandered over to the deep leather sofa and sank into the cushions with a contented sigh.

"I got talked into hosting one of their ball game nights while Sid was out of town, and apparently my old television wasn't good enough compared to the forty-inch plasma Sid owns."

"Peer pressure, Mac. Those two are champions in that game."

"That may be so, but I can only get named as a geek without the gadgets so many times."

Stella burst out laughing, immediately knowing who must have said that; there was really only one person who could be so eloquent with his insults. "Flack, I assume?" She caught his eyes in the reflection of the sleek black Samsung as he approached with two steaming mugs of the delicious beverage she looked forward to any chance she got to consume it. Maybe that was a little sad, but she rationalized that coffee as bad as that she lived on day-to-day at the lab would drive anyone to seek out and crave _really_ good coffee.

Taking the large mug from his proffered hand, she toed off her high-heeled pumps and curled long legs under her as she watched her friend take a seat next to her. It had been an odd evening, an immensely enjoyable one, but one unlike their usual time spent together. Still niggling at the far corners of her mind was the feeling that something had shifted between them, not just tonight but over the last year or so. A slow, steady change that had begun with their time together outside of the lab increasing, phone calls that weren't for anything more than checking up on each other had suddenly become expected rather than rare until suddenly spending entire evenings like this one weren't all that uncommon.

"You look sleepy," he told her with a contented half-smile, his intense blue-grey eyes continuing to study her.

"Its been a long time since I've felt this relaxed," Stella confessed, sipping her coffee to cover her embarrassed smile as she realized she'd let that slip aloud.

Silence settled for a few minutes as she felt Mac continue to scrutinize her. "If you want to sleep, Stell, I'm sure we could find you somewhere..."

She looked up from watching the steam rise from her mug in surprise, trying to decipher the tone he'd used to say that. He gave her no clues, only a warm smile. The man was an infuriatingly closed book sometimes. He was only being a caring friend, she reasoned to herself, and he knew she'd pulled a couple of doubles in the past week and it was getting a little late.

"You wanna watch a movie?" Mac asked quietly, gaze finally leaving her to glance over all the small cabinet below the wall-mounted television.

Not quite trusting her voice yet, Stella simply nodded, glad of any distraction while her friend seemed to be determined to confuse her usually well hidden feelings. She really tried not to notice the way his shirt pulled across his shoulder blades as he kneeled to place a chosen DVD in the player, but didn't succeed. He smiled at her as he reclaimed his seat next to her, placing his right arm along the length of the sofa cushion, his hand settling millimeters from her left shoulder.

Stella kept a watchful eye on her friend throughout the film, a habit borne years ago out of concern that quickly transformed to an addiction that was as much for her as it was for him. Mac had always been a wonderful friend to her and in return she made sure several of his more self-destructive tendencies didn't snowball out of control. Ironic really, for a man who's life was ruled by control. Their friendship had withstood a number of obstacles of a long and often troubled time they'd known each other, but they always managed to fight it out, make up and become stronger from it.

His hand shifted slightly, bringing her musings to an end as she focused again on her surroundings, the touch of his long fingers playing over the bare skin of her shoulder absently. For some reason it made her wonder if he ever felt as lonely as she did sometimes; whether his job provided enough of a distraction. She knew Peyton had hurt him, leaving the way she had sent Mac straight back into his shell. Stella remembered hugging him that night after he'd finished his set on stage, right there in the middle if the crowded bar. He'd accepted her embrace and listened to her offer of a sympathetic ear should he want to talk about it, but never taken her up on the offer.

She looked over at her friend and found him looking straight back at her, the low light of the room casting his eyes in a dark blue. "What are you thinking, Stell?"

Stella shook her head at him, a fond grin spreading her lips. "I was just thinking I should check my phone - not a single call from work all night seems almost odd these days."

"That probably means you've been working too hard," He admonished gently, his tone lowering the deep tenor of his voice further as his hand crept downwards slightly, palm resting against the fabric of her sleeveless tank top while his thumb caressed the top of her arm.

Shooting him an incredulous glare at his words, she frowned at him in playful indignation. " Mac Taylor, are you accusing someone other than yourself of overworking? Just a bit-"

"Hypercritical, I know," He ducked his head, pretending to be suitably chastised. "You want another coffee?"

"I'll make it if you want to try your new shirt on..." Stella grinned at him, ready to thoroughly enjoy his pink-clad embarrassment.

"Or I can leave that until tomorrow and you can try this on." Mac lifted the large red store bag from the floor, looking a little bashful again. "I thought it would look - it seemed like something you might like."

Stella smiled beautifully at him, closing the distance between them and cupping his face to press a lingering kiss to his cheek.


	5. Unexpected

Hey folks :o) I know it's been ages! This was one of those chapters that you end up rethinking and rethinking which is my only excuse :o) I didn't realise how much of a taunt I left by not revealing the gift in the last chapter - hehe - a few M/NC-17 suggestions were brilliant ideas but wouldn't fit here - I think we could make it a challenge tho - Mac buys Stella a gift, must be a smut piece (not enough Mac/Stella smut on the web now is there?) Hope you enjoy this chap and the reviews are wonderful! :o)

**Chapter 5 - Unexpected**

Stella felt his hand cover hers against his cheek, grasping her fingers to pull them away gently as he bowed his head bashfully. She loved to make him blush, which wasn't difficult with his sustained inability to deal with compliments he received. Mac caught her gaze expectantly, causing her to finally reach out and take the gift bag from his proffered hand. She couldn't hide the excited grin she felt as she rose from the sofa, holding his blue eyed gaze as he followed her movements.

"If you don't like it, I won't be offended," Mac assured her quietly, his tone a little hesitant, as if rethinking the gift at the last minute now that she'd finally find out what he'd bought.

Having yet to even peek at whatever it was, Stella rewarded him with a reassuring smile. "Can I at least see what this mystery gift is before I decide?"

Finally cracking his own smile at her words, he stood, grasping their empty coffee mugs before gesturing towards where she knew his bedroom was. "Bedroom's all yours if you want to change there."

Promising to only be a few minutes while Mac made the coffee again, she followed him towards the kitchen before continuing along the short hallway to his room. Although feeling a little invasive as she stepped inside, Stella never-the-less took a moment to scan her best friend's private quarters. The king-size bed against the centre of the wall to her left was adorned with dark green sheets and matched the rest of the room's precise military-inspired tidiness, not an item out of place in the whole room. She was suddenly glad he'd never seen her own bedroom. Whilst she wasn't overly messy in her own space, she still had a habit of leaving shoes or clothes on the floor a little longer than she liked. Although with the hours she worked, she reasoned housework wasn't really top of her priorities.

Setting the scarlet-red gift bag at the foot of the bed, Stella peered inside, feeling a little like a child on Christmas morning. Pulling thick folds of dark, midnight-blue fabric from the bag, she was astonished to find it was an evening dress. An evening dress? It was beautiful, thin silver straps outlining a V-neck, highlighting the shimmer in the fabric as the silver was beaded subtly through the bodice and into a wider belt at the waist. It wasn't something she could ever have seen herself buying, instead opting for black, figure-hugging dresses that were easy to wear to many occasions. So much for payback - she'd been expecting something to retaliate for the pink shirt bet, not something like this.

Undressing in Mac's bedroom felt more than a little strange, and if she could take her eyes off the dress laid out on the bed she would have taken the opportunity to really examine her friend's personal space. Slipping the garment on over her head, the bodice settled perfectly over her chest, with the skirt flowing in a simple A-line from the silvery-fabric waistline that fell to just above the knee, where the hem was laced with more of the tiny silver beads. She wasn't sure she'd ever owned anything quite like it before - and that was an achievement considering her love of shopping, but part of her love for the garment was that her best friend had picked it out for her. Which in turn made her suspicious - Mac shopping for her? He was sweet and kind as her friend but had never gone to the extent of buying her something like this before.

Leaving her discarded clothes neatly folded on the end of his bed, Stella padded barefoot in the direction of the kitchen, unable to keep the happy smile from her face. His back was to her, so she chose to lean against the archway until he became aware of her return, content to watch as he finished off preparing coffee. It only took a minute for him to sense her presence, turning to look over his shoulder as his hands continued to pour out steaming liquid into their mugs. His blue eyes lit up as he ran his gaze over her, turning to look at her fully. She shot him an impish grin as his eyes finally settled on hers, placing her left hand on her hip as she waited for his verdict.

"Do you like it?"

"Do _you_ like it?" Stella shot back, her tone amused.

Mac nodded, his own bashful smile widening. "It's like it was made for you, Stella."

She held his gaze playfully for a few seconds, before taking a few steps closer to him. "Why an evening dress, Mac? I was expecting something as payback for the pink shirt - don't get me wrong, I _love_ it." Practically dancing across the cold tile to press a long kiss to his cheek -a little closer to his mouth than usual, she clasped his hand gently. "I don't deserve you, Mac."

"You deserve more than a dress, Stell." Surprising her with a hug, Mac slipped his arms around her, his hands warm on the bare skin of her back above the seam of the dress. "And who says this isn't payback?"

His mouth was just by her ear, sending electric shivers straight down her spine and very more-than-friendly images into her head at the deepened timbre of his voice. His words registered belatedly, causing her to smile playfully at him as they pulled away from each other. "And just what does that mean, Mac Taylor?"

"The Mayor's Annual benefit is coming up..." He grinned, leaving the suggestion to hang in the air while the lilt in his voice gave away his teasing. Though generally the benefit was attended by many of the lab's personnel, it was more for the sake of duty and representing the lab than it being an enjoyable evening.

"And I still owe you dinner," Stella nodded with a mischievous smile, pleased when his expression faltered slightly, obviously having wrong-footed him.

"I wasn't serious, Stell."

"I am. It'll be fun - we can go make an appearance, shake a few hands and then erase it from our memories by doing something more fun - like dinner or a movie." She felt almost buoyant - which was in no small part due to Mac's wandering eyes as he continued to gaze over her with that appreciative look on his face.

"So long as you can wear your dress, right?" Mac chuckled.

"You know me so well." Stella teased, grinning.

Impulsively she stepped forward again, aware that she was showering her affection on him tonight, but unable to stop herself. He always accepted her kisses with a bashful smile, but as she stood on bare tiptoes to reach him in lieu of the tall heels she usually wore, Mac turned his head slightly, and her lips mistakenly met his. Instinct took over, and before her mind could register the innocent mistake, he was responding and setting his large hands low on her hips, pulling her to him. While his lips were soft, his kiss was hard, passionate to the point of possessive. Her arms moved of their accord, one hand fisting in the fabric of his shirt as the other explored his close-cropped dark hair as her lips parted to grant him access. She gasped a sharp breath as he pushed her back against the counter, coherent thought apparently lost along with her ability to breathe in anything other than short pants. God, this man knew how to kiss a girl.

There was suddenly an urgent sound, shrill and mood-killing as it pierced the fog of her brain, sending her catapulting back to reality.

Mac's phone was beeping.

The same second she realized what it was, Mac apparently did too, pulling back from her like he'd been stung. "Stell - That was - I didn't mean -" His expression was immensely guilty, backing up to the opposite side of the kitchen before she'd collected herself enough to take in what had just happened. The darkened blue of his eyes were clear even in the low light, avoiding meeting her own gaze as he scrutinized the message on his phone.

"Mac?" Her voice sounded uncharacteristically meek, even to her own ears, sounding too much like a rejected little girl for her liking.

His intensely dark eyes met hers reluctantly, his defenses down for a minute, allowing her a glimpse into the uncertainty he didn't hide quite fast enough. "Don't, Stell."

The sharp tone hurt more than she was prepared for, closing down any explanations, discussions or otherwise without giving away a single hint at how he felt. Irritation mixed with the irrational rejection as she looked away, absently running her hands over the midnight-blue silk covering her hips and hating herself for comparing the colour of it to his eyes. "I should go change."

His silent nod in response was all she needed, barely noticing his unreadable expression as his eyes swept over her once more. She felt his watchful gaze follow her until she stepped into his bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her before letting the hurt and confusion sweep over her in a wave. This really wasn't how she thought the night would end.


	6. AfterEffects

_A/N : I know its been a stupidly long time since I updated this fic - my only excuse is that I posted the last chapter and instantly decided I hated the rest of the story, so I've replotted completely and its taken me this long to work out where I was going with it!_

**Chapter 6 - After-Effects**

Stella woke up groggy and irritated the next morning, having spent the night tossing and turning, unable to find rest. While half-expecting and simultaneously dreading a phone call from the lab calling her in on Mac's case, thereby forcing her to face him, her traitorous mind had filled the time since she got back to her apartment by replaying the moments of the previous evening in vivid, devastating detail. Analyzing and questioning her actions, and consequently Mac's reactions again and again had only resulted in frustrating her further. For the first time in their long friendship, Stella felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety at the thought of seeing her partner again.

_6:02_

She'd been staring at the ceiling for nearly an hour, having finally given up on sleep providing her with a temporary distraction. Reaching over to the glass surface of the bedside drawers where her phone lay, Stella scrolled through the address book until she came upon his name.

_6:06_

Finally steeling herself, she pressed the touch-screen button, dialing his number. Three rings. Four. At six the familiar click sounded and Mac's rough baritone asked her to leave a message. Sighing as she disconnected without leaving a voicemail, she pressed her fingers to her forehead, the tension headache finally making its presence known. She never, ever felt like this when it came to anything to do with Mac Taylor. Even through their most serious, heated arguments, there hadn't been much of an impact on their communication, which at present was what Stella wanted to get over and done with, back to normal. But then her much guarded, never-let-him-know secret had nearly been revealed the second his lips had responded to hers, which made normality seem a little like a pipe dream at the moment.

Hoisting herself up into a sitting position against the numerous pillows that resided upon her warm too-big-for-one-person bed, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around the pale blue sheets covering her legs. Inevitably her gaze landed on the dress she'd hung from one closet door before climbing into bed in the early hours of the morning. Weak sunlight from the bedroom window picked out a few of the tiny silvery sequins along the hem, for an uncharacteristic moment she wished she could hate the dress. Their evening had been so enjoyable, so companionable; hours strung together to let her forget the usual loneliness she felt so often outside of work at the lab. And then it had suddenly ended so... wrong.

To make things worse, over the past few hours a slow, horribly troubling thought had crept up on her; wondering if last night may have been her fault. Maybe their relaxed evening had distorted her perception of how Mac felt about her. He was a rational man, never one to let his feelings cloud his judgement; but he was protective of her despite that. Something she was even begrudgingly fond of sometimes.

Dread suddenly bubbled up inside her like steam from a piping hot coffee; what if he'd worked out how she felt, deducing how hopelessly in love with him she was and had been for years? Kissing her the previous evening and then reacting the way he had could only mean that he didn't return her feelings; had never considered anything more with her. Or worse: had considered their friendship becoming something more, and rejected the idea as something he didn't want. Stella rested her forehead against her knees as she closed her eyes, hoping helplessly that she hadn't ruined their friendship by letting her feelings for him override her usually level-headed not-in-love-with-her-partner actions.

At least she shouldn't be called in today; although while she wasn't working a shift at the lab, she'd volunteered to cover Danny's on-call duties for the day. It was in that moment Stella suddenly remembered the lunch date she'd set up with an old college friend, Matthew, visiting the big apple for the day due to a work conference. There went her plans to wallow in her bed all day, pretending the world didn't exist for as long as she could possibly hide herself away. If only Matthew was bringing the family with him; his wife Madison and their son Jacob could always cheer Stella's worst of moods, and they'd not had a catch-up in at least eight months. But at least an hour or so with Matthew would take her mind off her partner, and a little shopping beforehand might make her feel human enough to ward of her friend's brotherly teasing of her busy life.

Dressing in jeans and a casual black shirt, Stella chose her favorite black boots to complete the ensemble before deciding to grab breakfast out at a local cafe a block away. The couple who owned the place knew her well by now due to the number of mornings she'd dashed in to grab a coffee before a shift, or spent a lazy hour there eating after a night shift before heading home to crash. They would always welcome her as if she was a friend they didn't see often enough, warning her to "be careful around all those bad people you meet with that job of yours" every time she left.

By the time she'd walked there, drank two coffees and eaten a bagel, it was nearing nine thirty. As she pulled her phone from her bag, Stella scolded herself for the intense disappointment she felt when there were still no messages from her partner. Three hours of shopping before lunch suddenly seemed like the perfect distraction for her bruised feelings.

***

Two pairs of heels and a silk shirt (the exact colour of Mac's eyes she'd realised on her way out of the store) and Stella was on her way towards a busy restaurant close to Matthew's conference venue. Having heard nothing from the lab at all, she'd called Hawkes to check everything was okay there, which it was, no need to worry. He'd then made a remark about Mac being in one of the worst moods he'd ever seen him in, and to be glad she was out of the line of fire today at least. Feeling a twinge of guilt at the suspicion the events of the previous evening were affecting Mac's temperament today, she wished Hawkes luck with forced humour before hanging up.

"Bonesera!" Came a sudden yell from behind her, a second before she was enveloped in a bear hug. Laughing as she stepped back from him, Stella studied the handsome face of Matthew Blake standing before her on the busy sidewalk, noting he had yet to change much in appearance from their college days.

"Grabbing a trained officer like that will get you shot, Matthew," Stella warned in mock seriousness, grinning at the feigned hurt on his face as she did so.

"Well forgive me for wanting to greet my favourite cop in a friendly manner. Maddy said I was to give you a big hug from the three of us since she wasn't seeing you too." Making a show of pulling his blackberry from his pocket, Matthew sighed, "I'll just tell her we're not loved anymore-"

Chuckling at his antics, Stella rolled her eyes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Better?"

Grinning back at her, Matthew shifted the laptop case he was carrying on one shoulder, throwing his other arm around Stella's shoulders and pulling her to him as they walked towards the restaurant they'd originally agreed to meet in. "So how's life for Stella in the big city?"

Their long leisurely lunch was far more enjoyable than Stella had expected herself capable of enjoying that day, compounding her thought that she'd forgotten how much fun Matthew and his family always were when they did get together, despite the inevitable envy at she didn't have her own family to return to once they left. Excusing herself to go to the bathroom, Stella found herself wondering if her new apartment was big enough for three guests. On her way back she spotted her dinner companion on his cell phone, before realizing it was her cell phone he was using. Smiling towards her as she approached, Matthew hung up just as she reached the table, causing Stella to frown in curiosity.

"Sorry, you said you were on call, so I answered it-"

"They want me to go in?" Stella asked quickly, unsure if that would be a good or a bad thing.

"No, he said he was just checking on you. Didn't mean to disturb us." Matthew explained, narrowing his eyes slightly as though studying her expression. "Do I sense a secret boyfriend, Stell?"

Checking the caller history before jumping to conclusions, then ignoring the strange swelling in her heart that Mac had finally called her, she grasped her coffee mug and sipped slowly.

Leaning forward with interest, Matthew grinned at her again, this time with mischief in his boyish features. "Stella Bonesera has a boyfriend, doesn't she?"

"No." She answered simply, unable to keep an injection of unintended sadness from her tone. "No, he's just a friend."

His face softened with sympathy as he reached over to take both her hands in each of his. "You okay?"

Stella nodded, forcing a smile. "It's a long and complicated story, and you definitely wouldn't want to hear it."

"Well if you want to talk about it, I'm sure Maddy would love to live a vicarious single life in the big city through you."

Feeling better at the change of subject, Stella tilted her head to one side with a consolatory expression. "She's missing the free and single life, huh? Living with you is finally getting too much for her?"

"Hey, I'm good as gold, its that little devil of ours that causes her headaches." Matthew defended with a proud smile.

"I highly doubt that." She grinned in response.

"You'll have to come visit us in Seattle, Bonesera, and I'll prove it to you."

"It sounds like Jacob is his father's son, Matt."

Their banter was cut short by a call from a work colleague of Matthew's, apparently missing some document of vital importance. Once finished with his short phone call, Matthew apologised, saying he had to get back to the conference hall. Hugging goodbye outside the restaurant, the pair made sketchy plans for a visit to Seattle before the end of the year and Stella promised to call Madison that evening to say hello.

Heading home via her local grocery store with an easy smile on her face despite the light rain steadily soaking through her jacket, Stella picked up all the ingredients she'd need to make her favourite comfort food pasta dish, determined to enjoy the remainder of her day off with a good movie and a glass of wine. After taking a few minutes to unpack the food into the kitchen, then checking her answering machine for messages, she stepped into the shower to warm up after her walk in the rain, her mind slowly allowing musings of the previous evening back into her consciousness. Pushing those thoughts from her head, instead running through the pasta recipe in her head, then matching her new shoe purchases to various items of her wardrobe.

Despite her continued attempts to hang on to her lightened mood, she again found herself feeling the sensations of the previous evening. She could still feel his big warm hands grasping her hips as he kissed her, demanding and confident. The counter pressing into her spine as he pushed up against her-

Just as she was beginning to enjoy the memory, Stella was pulled from her fantasy with a jolt as a knocking sounded at her door. Hurriedly pulling the yoga pants and t-shirt on and grabbing a towel for her dripping wet hair, she went to answer the door feeling more than a little perturbed. Her green eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her partner stood in the doorway, watching as the intense look on his face darkened when his gaze swept over her bra-less , wet-haired form, prompting her to fold her arms over her chest defensively.

"I was just in the shower-" Stella explained pointlessly, a mix of embarrassment and awkwardness apparently impeding her ability to form intelligent sentences.

A wry smile pulled at his lips as Mac looked her in the eye again, dark blue irises filled with something she couldn't quite read. "I figured."

She smiled back despite herself, suddenly desperate to put her arms around him.

Silence stretched on for a few minutes as they stared at each other, neither sure what to say.

"You want to come in?" Stella finally asked, feeling much like she was extending a proverbial olive branch.


End file.
